Students Win Accolades for Vehicle Theft PSA
Nine students at the College of Southern Maryland have won accolades and prize money for their production of public service announcements about preventing vehicle theft. The digital media production students wrote, filmed, and produced 30-second PSAs offering warnings and tips to Maryland drivers to help them avoid having vehicles stolen or burglarized.
This is the third year that CSM students have taken part in the PSA contest sponsored by the Maryland Vehicle Theft Prevention Council and Maryland/DC Anti-Car Theft Committee. The students earned honors in both the video and audio categories and won a combined $4,800 of the $7,000 in prize money that was awarded.
Taking the place of runner-up in the audio PSA category and winning $300 was the team of Dylan Fox and Stephen Gardner. A three-way tie in the video PSA category resulted in Micheal Baranowski, Tionte Smiley – who also won a top spot in the same competition in 2016 – and the team of Christian Pomponio and Jillian Roberts splitting a $1,500 purse. Tying for first place and splitting the $3,000 grand prize were Jacob Buchanan and the team of Kevin Poole and Joseph Neal III.
The competition is open to all, but developing and submitting an entry into the annual competition is a mandatory assignment for students enrolled in CSM’s Digital Media Production 1010 Class taught by CSM Associate Professor and Program Coordinator Olaniyi Areke.
“It is a service learning opportunity for the DMP students to do a PSA on real issues that impact our community,” Professor Areke. “This exercise teaches the students to work together as a team and allows them to compete – and win – against students from four-year institutions. It also gives students great exposure because their PSAs will be shown at Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration offices and be broadcast on radio and television stations around the state.”
Careers in digital media production, marketing, public relations, graphic design, art and history education, library science and more can start with the Arts and Humanities Pathway at CSM. This associate’s degree pathway lays the groundwork for a bachelor’s and then even a master’s degree. CSM has guaranteed admissions agreements with a variety of universities to help you achieve your goals.
The CSM student-produced PSAs will be aired on social media, on WBAL-TV and on the VTPC and Maryland State Police websites.
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